Congestion Management

Managing Traffic Congestion –Making It Easier to Get from Here to There

Traffic congestion costs time and money. The 2015 Urban Mobility Scorecard published by the Texas Transportation Institute notes that in 2014 the average urban commuter in the U.S. spent an extra 42 hours of travel time on the road compared to low traffic volume conditions. The Scorecard shows the Baltimore region had 47 hours of annual delay per auto commuter in 2014. This is an improvement from the region's 50 hours of annual delay in 2009.

This kind of systematic approach to congestion management can help the region reduce the effects of traffic congestion on the movement of people and goods.

Eliminating all traffic congestion may not be possible, particularly in fast-growing regions. Moreover, a region may not want to eliminate all congestion if doing so would adversely affect economic vitality, community livability, or bicycle/pedestrian access. It is important to set appropriate objectives and strategies for congestion management that support regional goals.

Press “play” to see the 24-hour animation of travel speeds along major roadways in the Baltimore region on a typical weekday.

Speeds derived from vehicle probe data courtesy of a partnership with the University of Maryland CATT Lab and I-95 Corridor Coalition. More information can be found here.